Instep-support or arch-prop.



No; 717,523. 0 'PATENTED JAN. 6, 1903.

J. W. ARROWSMITH. INSTEP SUPPORT 0R ARCH PROP.

no MODEL.

WITNESSES:

3% WmnmomQmwn,

my ATTORNEYS,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Mor- UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

JAMES W. ARROWSMITH, OF MORRISTOWN, NEW JERSEY.

lNSTEP-SUPPORT OR ARCH-PROP.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N0. 717,523, dated January6, 1903.

Application filed May 27, 1901.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that LJAMES W. ARROVVSMITH,

ristown, in the county of Morris and State of New Jersey, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Instep-Supports or Arch-Props;and- I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and toletters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

The objects of this invention are to provide an instep-support orarch-prop which will be more elastic and comfortable for thefoot, toenable the lateral upturned elastic tongues to be of one piece with thebody portion, to provide for strengthening or stiffening the bodyportion by a brace on the under side, and to secure other advantages andresults, some of which may be referred to hereinafter in connection withthe description of the working parts.

The invention consists in the improved instep-support orarch-prop andinthe arrangements and combinations of parts of the same, allsubstantially as will be hereinafter set forth, and finally embraced inthe clauses of the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters ofreference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures,Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved support. Fig. 2 is a plan.Fig. 3 is a perspective view looking nearly endwise of the support. Fig.4 is a longitudinal section showing a reinforcing-brace standing awayfrom the body portion, and Fig. 5 is a cross-section showing a brace inclose contact With the body portion.

In said drawings, a indicates the body portion of my improved support,which is formed out of sheet metal, preferably German silver, of aproper degree of stiffness. Said body portion comprises a plate of anirregularlyoblong shape, having one end brounded at the edge andslightly concaved at its upper side to afford aseat for the heel of thewearers foot, while the opposite end 19 is out on a Serial No. 62,078.(No model.)

transverse line and adapted to lie just back of the ball of the foot.Intermediate the said ends of the plate its middle part is bent orcurved upward, as at c, to form an arch conforming more or less closelyto the normal arch of a foot at the instep. Said plates, it will beunderstood, are made in rights and lefts, according to the two feet of aperson, and the inner margin of each plate or margin adapted to lie nextthe other foot when the plate is in use has along the middle arched partof theplate a series of slits 6, extending transversely inward from theedge of the plate and forming tongues d, which are then curved or bentupward out of their normal plane. The side or margin of the plate thusslitted as described is curved or rounded outward between its ends, andthus the tongues 01 formed are of diiferent lengths, the middle onesbeing longer than the end ones. In bending or curving up the tongues dthe middle longer ones are deflected the most, those on each side beingbent less and less asthey are farther from the middle ones until the endshort tongues are scarcely changed from the plane of the plate. As thetongues d are bent upward they separate at their edges, so that freedomof independent flexing is permitted and an elasticity or springinesssecured whichis especially adapted to the purpose of comfortablysupporting the foot. It will be understood that the tongues d pressagainst and support the inner upper part of the arch or instep at theinner side of the footfor the following reason: When in the breakingdown of the arch of a foot the astragalus bone forces itself between the03 calcis and the scaphoid, the resistance ofiered by the cuboid causesboth the astragalus and the scaphoid to project outward as well asdownward. It is therefore necessary in all cases, especially those oflong standing, to apply not only a support from underneath, but also apressure from the side to supplement the relaxed tension of theligaments that have become stretched, and, furthermore, as theprojection of the bones mentioned is not always equal in extent it isdesirable to have a support that will present a Varying pressure atdifferent points, as needed. This is accomplished by my series oftongues,

which can flex or bend independently to meet requirements. Moreover, theslits e in the side of the body portion or plate permit and facilitatean upbending of that edge or margin of the plate to fit the foot, sothat the mechanical construction is much more easily effected.

To the under surface of the body portion or plate a I fasten areinforcing-strip f, disposed longitudinally of the body-plate andoverlapping at its edge the inner ends of the slits e, separating thetongues 11, or at least the inner ends of the middle or longer slits, asshown in Figs. 2 and 5. This strip f is riveted to the body-plate a inany suitable manner, as indicated at f, and may either lie fiat againstthe body-plate a, as shown in Fig. 5, or it may be separated therefromat its middle, as at g in Fig. 4, to secure a desired degree ofelasticity. This reinforcingstrip enables the body-plate to be madelight enough so it can be bent or peened by the orthopedist into propershape to exactly fit the individual patient and yet not breaktransversely across because of the slits e. If no reinforcing-plate wereemployed, the plate a would have to be so thick and heavy to resistbreaking across from the slits e that it would lose its elasticity andbe unyielding to the action of the foot. By my stripfat the bases of thetongues I prevent the slits between said tongues from extending orcracking further under the action of a foot upon the prop, and still Ido not sacrifice elasticity.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is 1. Aninstep-support or arch-prop comprising a plate of resilient metal havingthe portion between its ends curved upwardly to fit the under surface ofthe normal arch of the 0 instep and having a side portion curvedupwardly to fit the side surface of the normal arch of the instep, theside portion consisting of a series of tongues separated by slits, saidslits extending into the body portion of the plate, and areinforcing-strip secured to the under surface of the plate andextending longitudinally thereof, the reinforcing-strip being so locatedthat one of its side edges overlaps the inner ends of the slits andbears against the tongues; substantially as described.

2. An instep-support or arch-prop comprising a plate of resilient metalhaving the portion between its ends curved upwardly to fit the undersurface of the normal arch of the instep, and having a side portioncurved upwardly to fit the side surface of the normal arch of theinstep, the side portion consisting of a series of tongues separated byslits, said slits extending into the body portion of the plate, and areinforcing-strip extending longitudinally of the plate, and secured atits ends to the under surface of the plate, the reinforcing-strip beingless curved than the plate, so that its middle portion is not in contacttherewith, the reinforcing-strip being so located that one of its sideedges overlaps the inner ends of the slits; substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this21st day of May, 1901.

JAMES W. ARROWSMITH.

Witnesses:

CHARLES H. PELL, O. B. PITNEY.

